A Rose under a Pseudonym
by xXSilentMelodiesXx
Summary: In short, they were doomed from the beginning. There was nothing there that wasn't hidden in place sight...but they were going to have to pay for what they had made. What they all became. What they all killed.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I'll be quick.  
-First: This is the relationships between Roxas, Axel, Namine, Larxene, and Marluxia.  
-Second: Each chapter will open with the chapter's focus character speaking.  
-Third: This starts off as seemingly one-shots. But each scene will start to bleed together, and their relationships will be established, as well as the "story" starting to finally kick into gear.  
-Fourth: Everything is important, nothing is random.**

-Fifth: Nothing here is pretty.

* * *

**Roxas:** _What we have isn't solid. It's transient, and someday it will fade into nothing._

* * *

He wasn't exactly content in being here. Roxas was stuck sitting at the breakfast nook while he watched Marluxia cook. He felt like he was being punished, and he probably was. It's not every day that the resident psychopath invites you to have breakfast at his place while his roommates are out. Even though one of his roommates is his sister, and the other a best friend.

"Hey. Why do I have to stay he—"

"Sit down and stay quiet."

Roxas didn't even get to finish his sentence before Marluxia was cutting him off. Jeez, what was his problem? He certainly didn't think that all of this was being done out of some sort of "kindness." That only left him to speculate what he had done to land himself in this position, watching the man in the kitchen flipping an omelet. Maybe he'd get lucky and be able to frame him for murder if he tried to poison him.

"So. I hear you and Łarxene have been spending a lot of time together."

...Were this anyone else, Roxas would have assumed that it was jealousy that had pushed him to call upon this little "bonding" façade of his.

"..Yeah. Problem?"

Marluxia merely snorted in response, throwing the newly prepared omelet down on a plate, which he walked over and set in front of him. Roxas stared at it for several moments before Marluxia rounded the corner and took a seat on the bar stool next to him. They didn't look at each other.

"Not at the moment," he said lightly. He had a knack for keeping his voice light, no matter the situation. Condescending bastard. "But I will if you decide to do anything...unpleasant, to her."

"She likes it like that. Doesn't feel like Ƶero." I take a bite out of my omelet, and realize that it's pretty good. Not that it's a surprise. The guy is a lot of things, but he does know how to cook. Łarxene says he's such a girl, with some of the things he does. But Roxas doesn't care. It doesn't seem to be poisoned, and he'll gladly take up the chance for a free meal.

"I think you know very well what I mean. And you would find it in your best interest, Roxas, not to do anything that would cross any lines...wouldn't you agree?"

The way he says his name makes him involuntarily shudder. And from that smug smirk that shows on his face, it didn't go by unnoticed. Truthfully, Roxas doesn't know why Marluxia cares about her in the first place—there's got to be something more to it that he is missing. Marluxia doesn't _care_ for people. Łarx should be no exception to this universal rule. So she must be providing him with something important...

"Thanks for the meal. It was good."

Marluxia turns to him, and gives him a rather pleasant, knowing smile. It's impossible for the guy to look innocent. He always gives off vibes of being too much of a threat. Roxas has the sneaking suspicion that he wasn't trying to hide it this time, though.

"I'm glad that it was to your liking. We should do this again sometime."

Not a chance in hell, if he could avoid it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Naminé:**_ We're..nothing but wolves in sheep's clothing. Im..trying not to howl._

* * *

"I..told you that you didn't have to get me anything.." She said quietly, fingering through the pages of the new notebook she had just received. Marluxia had bought her it for Valentine 's Day. She didn't understand why he would do things like this.

"You needed a new one, right? Figured this would be as good of a time as ever to get you one."

That was true. Her last drawing pad had been all used up, and she was going to have to go buy a new one eventually. She...just hadn't expected him to grab her one.

Deciding to break it in, she flipped over the front cover and grabbed one of the higher B pencils and began to trace lines across the paper. Naminé said nothing as she kept this up, though she could sense that Marluxia was still watching her.

"You'll be able to go far with that ability of yours, you know."

She picked up her kneaded eraser and pushed it to a tip, and started to clear some of the lines. "Do you think? I don't know if it would be something I could do much with."

She hears Marluxia shift in his seat across from her at the table, and hear him pick up his glass of tea. "I do. There are plenty of directions you could go with it. It could take you wherever you want."

Setting the pencil down, she hesitates for a moment before picking another up—lower number, but still a B. Naminé brushes the bad off carefully, and begins to fill in some important details.

"I'm not sure. I don't think I'm that good.."

"You've been cultivating that talent of yours for years. It would be a shame to let it all go to waste."

Naminé stops. She analyzes the array of lines and strokes that litter her paper, and you can tell that it's a loose outline of what could be. Decision made, she decides to pick up an H. A low number, but after this she'll be nearly done. She couldn't be hasty. "You think? I'd..hate to mess up at a crucial moment."

She hears Marluxia chuckle then. She starts outlining the bars, and the table, and adding numerous darker shades to amplify the picture when she hears him speak again. "I think we both know that you wouldn't have to worry about that."

And then she smiles. She stops, puts down her pencil, and without hesitation picks up a high H and continues. "I'm sure you would love to watch how things would turn out. You...that has always been your thing. Even if it..all crumbles down, you'd have seen it all from the beginning."

"You're right," he says, and she doesn't break her strokes. She simply listens as she draws. "But I've been watching you for a long time, little Naminé. You're no better than that bird in an unlocked cage, giving its owner a false sense of security that you intended to stay forever, all on your own free will. No locked gates. Simply trust."

And then she sets down her pencil, and covers her mouth with a small, tentative laugh. She liked Marluxia, and she knew that he never had to lift his eyes from his glass to notice the small bird perched in a cage that occupied her paper. She also knew this whole conversation had nothing to do with drawing.

"Never trust a witch," she says simply, dropping her hand so that she can freely smile in his direction. Naminé watches him, and she catches the sharp look in his eyes when he smirks right back.

"Never trust a witch, indeed."

Naminé secretly liked their relationship best. Even over her brother. Because the magical thing was that they never had to say much to understand each other. They had a secret understanding of what was going on, and the world never had to know. Marluxia knew she played around with people's emotions, and molded her own to fit into certain situations. In a way, Naminé was the person that Marluxia could be, if he had the capacity of proper emotions. It was on that concept that their relationship was built. She picked up the eraser and twisted it a bit-she realized that was like what she was. She could be twisted into any shape you need, and slowly erase the locks protecting your heart.

It was magical indeed. Like a supernova. A flash before death.


	3. Chapter 3

**Roxas:** _There is nothing here. We are giving nothing, and we are receiving nothing. _

* * *

She owned him, because he was only a thing. Living, but not alive...breathing, but not by choice. She gave him meaning. She made him feel something other than Ƶero. Twelve, Thirteen, Step.

"Stand up and get over here."

He listened, because she commanded it. Behind closed doors, this was how things were. When they were alone, he let her dominate him. Roxas stood up from his seat by the glass sliding door, and came over to her. She was standing near the far side of the living room wall, staring at him. He stared right back.

"What is it this time?" He speaks as though he is indifferent, because that's what he's to do. That's how he has to act around her...and how he really is. Maybe. He doesn't know, because he doesn't know a lot of things. Łarxene doesn't mind it, so he thinks that he must be doing something right.

In an instant, she's slamming him back against the wall with her hand clasped around his throat, and he doesn't have much time to react. He doubted he would have anyway, but he was caught off guard and all he was able to do was stare, wide eyed, as he tried to catch his breath. Her gaze was burning holes in him...like acid. Her eyes were like vats of acid.

"Roxy," she purrs, licking up the side of his neck until she reaches his ear lobe, which the then bites down on. He shudders against her, and he can feel her mocking breath on his neck. "You're mine, aren't you?"

"Yes," he breaths, and he knows that's the only answer she would have accepted. He is Hers. Just like She is His.

"I hate you," she whispers into his ear, and he can feel her nails digging into his neck. The smooth acrylic is jutting into him and he can't help but let out a small choking cough, and he notices she hasn't let up. He wasn't expecting her to.

"I love you, too."

And then she's mashing her lips to his, but he doesn't have a chance to do anything back because she's released him and has thrown him to the side. He doesn't fall, but he does stumble. He's watching her now, and he can see electricity jumping across her hand, from finger to finger. He knows what's coming.

"Aw, Roxy~" She coos, and it's dripping with honey laced with poison, and she pressed her body against him. There's no shock until she leaned up and kisses him, and suddenly it's like electric sound and he's bleeding into her.

They only work like this because they're fucked up individuals. She needed to be needed, and he needed to feel alive. She made him feel, and he gave her validation.

Like master to slave.

He was her shadow coated angel with a thunder kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

**Naminé: **_Had we never gone, had we never plotted, had we never..._

* * *

_"Found `ya!"_

_"Aw..I thought it was a good hiding spot.."_

_"Hehe! You were hidin' too close to Roxas's spot again, silly! You have to be more creative!"_

_"Oh..I guess. Well, who's left?.."_

_Naminé crawled out of the small hole between the bushes and took Axel's offering hand as he helped her up—a bit behind him, she could see Roxas and Marluxia standing a little off behind him, and Roxas' arms were crossed. Naminé couldn't help but let out a small giggle at the sight—Roxas was turned away from Marluxia, who was currently looking at her and smiling, while waving. She waved back, and Roxas' frown only deepened. He was so funny sometimes._

_"Ah, we have to find Łarx. I've been lookin' for a good while, but I haven't been able to find her at all!"_

_Axel's arms were thrown up in exasperation, and Roxas and Marluxia came up to stand around him—the way they were now, they were in a mock-semi circle. Marluxia sighed, while looking around._

_"Well...have you tried looking by the Mansion? I was hidden behind one of the signs in the main plaza, and Roxas and Naminé were pitched in the woods. A nitwit like you probably only checked those areas."_

_Naminé grinned behind her hands at Axel's flustered face. Even Roxas seemed amused at the reaction the boy was giving, and Marluxia looked as composed as ever—though the light in his eyes made it evident that he was enjoying the reaction as well._

_"I—well—I was going to look there next, so THERE!" And with that, Axel stomped off towards the proper opening of the forest—the one leading to the huge Mansion. Truth is, the only way to get in here is through a large opening in the wall's foundation in Tram Central. Nobody ever wanted to fix it, since they know that lots of the kids go out there and play. Some of the adults here were nice like that, since it wasn't like anyone had ever gotten hurt out here._

_Everyone followed, and we soon reached the large looming gate that blocked us off from the giant building._

_"Alright! Up we go!"_

_"Don't fall this time, Axel."_

_"Shut up Roxas!"_

_Marluxia let out a small chuckle this time as Roxas and Axel bickered, the two of them being the first to start scaling the walls beside the gate. They didn't say it out loud, but they were quietly racing—and of course, Roxas was the victor. Marluxia always said it was funny that Roxas could beat him since he was so much shorter than Axel, and I sorta agree. If you have longer arms and legs, shouldn't you be able to climb faster?_

_"Come on, Nami'. Before those two decide to leave us."_

_"They would never," she says quietly, but she runs over to the wall with Marluxia, and they start to make their way up. Climbing wasn't her strong suit, but she could do it decently, even if she was a little slow. She never fell like Axel had. And she was lucky to have Marluxia there to go at her pace._

_In no time, they were all over the wall and slipping through the front door. It was an unwritten rule to always leave it open for other kids—no one in the city really lived here, so this was sorta like their playground, since the city lacked one of those, too. Naminé didn't even think the lock on the door worked anymore._

_Once they were all in there, they split up to look for Łarxene. The place was huge, and it was going to get dark soon...Twilight was nearing, and Naminé could see the colors shining in through the giant patio window on the bottom floor._

_"Łarxene! I'm gonns TOTALLY find `ya!"_

_"Don't say it out loud, idiot..." Roxas muttered quietly, but loud enough for Axel to hear, who scowled in response. They were looking through the bottom rooms, and Marluxia decided to go upstairs and try the door on the far left. Naminé, feeling like she had to search somewhere new, too, decided to check the room on the far right._

_When she opened it, she peeked in shyly. She didn't know why—it's not like anyone else was there, except maybe Łarxene, but she suddenly felt alone on the huge house. Pushing her way through fully, she shut the door behind her and gasped at what she saw._

_She'd been in this room many times over the years—but now it looked different. The table that usually took up most of the room was gone, and instead of the familiar orange-tinted flooring, there was a set of techno-blue stares, and an whole other level in front of her!_

_Curious, she started to walk down the stairs—but she hadn't gotten even halfway down before her attention was drawn to the crumbled mass laying to the side of the stairs on the floor._

_"Łarxene...!"_

_It scared her more that she didn't get a response._

_Rushing to finish the rest of the stairs as fast as she could, she came up beside the girl and shifted her off her side and onto her lap—was she breathing..?_

_"Ł-Łarxene..! P..Please answer me..!"_

_Naminé could feel tears pricking at her eyes, and she gently shook the girl to try and jostle her awake. It worked, sort of, but what she got frightened her even more than the still body._

_"H-He attacked me..! I can't breathe, I – can't – breathe..!" Her words were panicked, and her bright green eyes were staring up at her own, and it was such a foreign expression to Naminé. It scared her. It scared her more that she started coughing after that, and she could have sworn that she felt something zap her._

_"H..Help!" Naminé tried screaming, trying to find her voice to produce enough sound, "M-Marluxia! Roxas! A-Axel! I F-Found Łarxene..! Something's wrong..!"_

_Roxas was the first to burst through the door, followed closely by Marluxia and Axel. They all wore the same expression that she had when she first entered the room, but Roxas reacted much quicker. He was downing the stairs as fast as he could, even jumping off the side when he was low enough._

_"What happened?"_

_"I think she was a-attacked, from what she said..W-We need to help her!"_

_Once the other two had made it down there, Marluxia scooped Łarxene into his arms, and started up the stairs. Looking down at everyone, the only thing he said was, "We need to go. Now."_

_No one argued. Just followed in a deafening silence._

__She had never been so powerless. She vowed to never be again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Axel: **_It's all fine. In the end, you can't possibly be on the wrong side. __  
_

* * *

"You know, we're dead when he finds out we did this, right?"

"Pft! Roxy loves me. I'm safe. You, on the other hand, are totally dead.~"

Both Axel and Łarxene were currently catching their breath within the woods just outside that old mansion on the outskirts of town, and they were exhausted. They had probably just done the most retarded thing they could have thought of doing – robbing Roxas' house. They were dead when he found them.

So. Damn. _Dead._

"So," Axel started with, turning his head to the side against the tree to stare at Larxene, who was currently bent over and trying to catch her breath. Ha. Take that miss "high stamina." You might be able to dance in a fight, but I can sprint for miles. "How long do you think it's going to take for him to figure out where we've gone, and beat the shit out of us?"

Łarxene lets out a laugh, but it ends up in a small coughing fit as she lets herself fall into a sitting position. She smirking then, turning to look Axel in the eye. "Not long at all. He's a resourceful little shrimp. We'd have longer if we hadn't also decided to take-"

"My photographs."

Axel stiffened, and Łarxene laughed. Oh, yeah. They were dead. He didn't even have to turn around to know that Roxas was standing behind them.

The venom in that glare of his was staring holes into his back. God help him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Łarxene: **_Simply idiotic. Every last bit._

* * *

"You're an idiot."

"And you don't know how to teach!"

"Excuse me? You're just a shitty student!"

They'd been going back and forth with this for what felt like hours. If Naminé hadn't been the one to ask her, she wouldn't even be here in the first place. Fighting style? This guy doesn't have enough grace to walk a line properly! And trying to get him to understand acrobatics...

"Look—It's all just a swift motion! Your weapons practically call for this! You're so damn solid when you move, and it blocks all possibilities for fluent attacks! Its blunt force and you're not meant for this!"

"Oh yeah? `Been working SO far!"

"Says the idiot who got his ass handed to him three weeks ago!"

"So did Marluxia, and I don't see him here!"

"He's different, jackass! Now grow the fuck up and listen!"

She was losing her temper. He seemed to be one of the only people who could make her do that. She could feel the lightning trace across her hand, and she thought about shooting him right there.

They weren't going to accomplish anything anytime soon, anyway. At least _that _would serve for some temporary amusement.


	7. Chapter 7

**Axel: **_...And then the balance tips._

* * *

Axel could take the hits. He was decently good at that – but it wasn't as though he enjoyed it, and it's not like he wasn't trying to fight back. It's just... he was a little outnumbered. And they sort of outweighed him by, like, a lot. Well, damn. This actually couldn't be a much worse situation...

"Hm. So, having fun picking on the weak Nobody, are we? Honestly, and here I thought you at least had the sack to fight someone who stood a chance."

For fuck's sake. I think it just got a little worse. Axel, managing to stumble to his feet and toss his head back, got a good look at the man standing just a few feet away from him. Marluxia, Łarx 's...whatever, and Naminé's whatever. A complete cold hearted prick, if there ever was one. Łarxene, he could understand, but Naminé? It was beyond him.

"Oh yeah? And you think you're up `ta par?"

"Ya, you wanna think 'yer somethin' special?"

"Let's see `ya fight, y'pansy!"

"Fag's got pink hair! PWAH, let's show 'dis fuck'er how it is.."

Marluxia hardly moved, but simply gave a small smile and a shrug. It was all the group needed to see to strike at him—and Axel, as well. While it was hard to follow Marluxia's side of the fight while trying to stay on his own feet, he could tell that he wasn't fairing much better than himself. He'd think it was hilarious if his body wasn't screaming over his humor.

He wondered why he had said anything in the first place. Why help him? Sure, the body of them together were better than just him alone, but he's not the most...helpful person out there. Not unless there's a benefit for him in the end, which there must be. But what it was seemed to be beyond him...though that could have been because of the continuous fists being shoved in his face.

"Teach y'all to mess with us again, that's f'er damn sure.."

By time they were done, both he and Marluxia were collapsed on the ground in rather uncomfortable sitting positions. Axel had been right—the two of them together hadn't even been a match. And as the group walked away, he couldn't help but ask, "Why did you come over here?"

He was greeted by a mirthless laugh; "I needed to kill some time."

"And you couldn't think of anything better to do? Łarx is out of town, but Naminé's still here."

"We're not seeing eye to eye."

And that was all it took for Axel to understand. Naminé was a rather quiet girl, but she had her moments and knew how to stick to her guns, when she needed to. And while Marluxia and him were on separate sides of their circle, he knew that he held some sort of ..something, for Naminé.

As well as he knew that the guy had a bit of a masochistic streak.

Fuck, he really didn't give a shit about him. He just happen to be an outlet for him...fucking douchbag.


	8. Chapter 8

**Larxene: **_Fuck. Just make something real._

* * *

It was fucking funny. She was laying here, dying, and she was still laughing. You know what? This wouldn't have happened had she not let her guard down. Pft, she deserved this. Jackass can burn in hell knowing that I'm bitter `till the end. No crying or begging here. Fuck that shit. She may be a lot of things, but a pussy isn't one of them.

Poisoned? Ha. Should have seen it coming. Marly was always fucking around in that garden of his—she should have suspected he was hoarding something foul in there. But a fucking mushroom? Christ. She's kicking the bucket because she got a dose of something from a mushroom.

Amatoxin, he said it was. Lethal, and leads to rapid kidney failure. Slow, painfully torturious death. Said it was fitting. That I deserved to go slowly, feeling everything. Ha Ha, that fucker. How dare he. I've never died before, but I think I at least have some right to say that dying of kidney failure has to be one of the most excruciating ways to kick it. Like, fuck, you have no idea. I'd scream, if I could.

Except I wouldn't, because that would get him off.

He's got me trapped down here, hovering over me like some lab rat who didn't react well to this new drug. And now it's dying, dying, and there's nothing you can do about it. You could be merciful and put it to sleep painlessly, but...Well. Compassion? Not his point of strength.

I wouldn't want that anyway. Because I want to feel this pain all the way to the end. I want to die screaming in my head, because this is what I deserve. This Is What I Deserve.

_And then she'd wake up in a cold sweat, because this is what she imagines he would do to her. What he should do. Because secretly, deep down, she knew that she needed to be erased from the picture. _


	9. Chapter 9

**Marluxia: **_Even in Perfection there is Imperfection. Those with a greater sense of Moral Responsibility do not show signs of a greater Moral Integrity; they actually showed signes of a greater Hypocrisy._

* * *

_He could feel the pricks of pain, but it was beyond him. He was registering what was happening, but it was like he couldn't feel it at all. An abomination? What was the meaning of that word? He thinks he might have read it somewhere before – it's like a monster, something that was unnatural. Was that what he was? A monster? But what had he done?_

_"...I'd appreciate if you stopped that, Mother."_

_He made sure to keep his voice low. Little Marluxia was a very polite boy, even at seven. He knew his manners and he knew how to talk to adults. But he didn't understand. Why was she hitting him?_

_"MONSTER!" There was another slap—this time, he could feel her acrylic nails scratch across his face. He didn't flinch. "Why can't you be a normal little boy? Why can't you be mommy's perfect little normal boy? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO DIFFERENT?"_

_The first thing that he realizes is that he was right about the word abomination. It was another term for monster. Still, he didn't know what he was supposed to say in response. He didn't know why he wasn't like other kids his age, either. He didn't laugh at the same things and he didn't smile at the right things, either. He didn't know why he couldn't feel right. Like there was something missing._

_"I'm..sorry, Mother. I'll try harder."_

_He meant that. He meant that with everything he was, even with the missing part of him. He didn't want to see her cry anymore, didn't want to be the reason she rose her voice at him. He tried to get closer to her, to maybe hug her, or..something, but that only seemed to spike her anger more because she scratched him again._

_"You stay away from me! You're no son of mine! You're Nobody! You're a Heartless spawn of.. Of GOD only knows! Ohgod what did you do to my baby..please give my baby back..."_

_...Heartless? Was that what was missing? He could clearly feel the pounding of his heart in his chest, but maybe there was something wrong with it. He'd heard the grown-ups at the church congregation talking about something like the "heart" and "soul" in a spiritual sense. It embodied everything a person is. Was that what Mother was talking about?_

_Was his lack of "heart" what made him so different? Heartless?_

_...A Nobody?_

__While there were very few things that could trouble him, childhood memories existed on the border of that self-imposed threshold. And while he sat there, with her, he was forced to remember just how much he had unwillingly had to give up. And he was a very possessive man.


	10. Chapter 10

**Naminé:**_ I knew these were dying moments..but I...I didn't want to see._

* * *

_"Hey," Naminé whispers, curling up into herself. "When is Roxas going to be back? I miss him..."_

_"He'll be back soon."_

_The voice speaks strongly—like there wasn't a doubt hindering his mind. To little Naminé, it was the most re-assuring thing she'd heard in a while. The other boy, Axel, she didn't know very well. But she knew that him and her brother were always hanging around with each other, so she could trust him._

_"...Can.. can you, um.." She fumbled over her words, struggling to form a coherent sentence. She drew her knees up to her chest further, hoping that she could maybe disappear. It was dark, and she hated the dark. She hated the dark and she hated the shadows and she hated how everything seemed to jump around, like something was lurking there and was waiting for the right time to spring out and attack her._

_But Naminé didn't have to finish the question, because Axel was already scooting beside her and slinging one arm around her, and leaning her close to him. It was the first time they'd been so close, since she usually hovered behind Roxas when the three of them were together. But she liked this feeling. Axel smelled like cinnamon, and he was warm. She believed that he would burn away any shadows that would try and swallow her up._

_"You'll be okay, Kid. You know how Roxas is sometimes. He gets caught in his own little world when he decides to go out by himself."_

_Naminé likes the sound of his voice, too. It's rough in a gentle sort of way, like crisp air meeting the heat of a fireplace. Big brother Axel was nice, too. She was glad that he was her brother's friend._

Naminé's eyes open, and her mouth opens soundlessly as thought she was ready to scream. But no sound ever came, and the only noise in the dark room was the hushed breathing of her brother, who was sleeping beside her.

She smiles, but even to her groggy mind it feels stale on her lips. She knows this is nothing but an imitation of normalcy.

But ignoring her thoughts, she curls back up and snuggles against his back, and allows her eyes to close and drift herself back to sleep. If Roxas felt her, she didn't know. He didn't make a sound.


End file.
